Delivery Optimization is a feature in Windows that lets you download Windows updates files from local devices on the same network rather than downloading from the Windows website.
With Windows Update Delivery Optimization, Windows 11 users can grab files from other PCs to the local machine they are using instead of downloading the files from the internet.
While in theory, this sounds good, in reality, it uses your data and causes you bandwidth issues. This can especially be a problem in you are on a metered network connection like a mobile hotspot or if you have a data cap.
You can turn off Delivery Optimization for Windows 11 manually on your computer, but it is a bit technically challenging. Before you do it, you should learn what it does:
What is Delivery Optimisation
Delivery Optimization is a feature available in Windows 10 that allows you to share content with other PCs on your local network. With Delivery Optimization enabled, Windows will automatically send small pieces of a file to other PCs on your network to speed up the download process.
It’s important to note that Delivery Optimization only works when downloading from Microsoft’s servers, such as Microsoft Store or OneDrive. It won’t work for non-Microsoft servers, such as Dropbox or Google Drive.
Delivery Optimization has been around since Windows 10 was first introduced in 2015 but it’s only recently that Microsoft has made it easier for users to enable and disable this service on their devices.
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How does Delivery Optimization work?
When you download an app from the Microsoft Store or an update for an app already installed on your PC, Delivery Optimization will scan all the files associated with that app and determine whether those files are already present on other PCs in your local network. If they’re not present, then they’ll be downloaded directly from Microsoft’s servers instead of being transferred over the internet between two different ISPs (which can cause a lot of unnecessary lag).
Delivery Optimization can also be configured so that if two files have already been downloaded by somebody else on your network, then you won’t need to download the updates separately, rather the update files will be transferred from the local device to your device if they are on the same network.
Is delivery optimization safe?
While the concept behind delivery optimization sounds good, it does come with a rider attached. Since it works either with devices on the local network or with devices on the local network and the internet, it will quickly eat up your data.
This becomes a major problem if you are on a metered connection or you have a data cap.
Also, even though Windows states that it won’t use your data if it detects that you are on a metered connection, the irony is that the metered connection option is turned off by default. So you have to enable it every time you are on a metered connection if you want to save your data. Microsoft by default will assume that your connection is always a non-metered one.
Another potential issue is that keeping delivery optimization on can cause your computer to lag. This is because files are being transferred to and fro in the background and being installed, thus keeping a part of your CPU busy. So, if your computer is acting slow or freeing up, this could be one of the factors.
Here are other tips to speed up your Windows 11
Should I keep Delivery optimization on or off?
Considering the endless number of updates being released by Microsoft, and the fact that most of us would rather choose to install the updates manually, it is better to disable Delivery Optimization.
This way, you don’t have to worry about your bandwidth getting exhausted and you can eliminate one of the factors behind your computer slowing down.
How to Disable Delivery optimization in Windows
There are two ways by which you can disable Delivery optimization.
Disable Delivery optimization through settings
Open Settings in Windows
Click on Update & Security.
Click on Advanced Options.
Now click on Delivery Optimization at the bottom.
Toggle the switch next to Allow downloads from other PCs to off.
The Delivery Optimization feature is now disabled.
In case, this option doesn’t work for you, you can also try to disable it from the registry directly.
Disable Delivery optimization through Registry.
Open Search Menu and type in Windows Registry.
Now locate and go to the path:
“Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\DoSvc”
Double-click the Start key.
Change the value data from default 2 to 4.
Now Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
The Delivery Optimization feature is now disabled.
Note: The Windows Registry is a powerful tool and you should only use it if you know what you’re doing. Any mistakes made here can leave your computer with numerous problems and errors.
Also Read: How to easily convert any document into a PDF quickly and simply.
Unable to Disable Delivery Optimization Feature
In most cases, by following the above steps mentioned, you would be able to disable Delivery Optimization. However, there could be a rare case that you are running into an error or are unable to disable it.
This could be because your computer is locked by the IT department of your company. So, if it’s a computer given by your organization then the only recourse is to contact your System Administrator.
